


Sickness

by QueenAlicorn



Category: Ed Edd ‘n’ Eddy
Genre: Absent Parents, Alone, Attraction, Bad Parenting, Basketball, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, CI, Caretaking, Caring, Cochlear Implant, Comfort, Concern, Cook Out, Cooking, Cookout, Crying, Dinner, Dorkiness, Dorks, Dorks in Love, Dream Talking, Dreaming, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Love, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Mush, Food, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gentle, Gentle Kevin, Gentle Kissing, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Hanging Out, Healing, Health, Help, Holding Hands, Jock - Freeform, Jock and Nerd, Kissing, Literal Sleeping Together, Love, Lunch, M/M, Making Out, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Morning, Morning Cuddles, Mornings, Movie: Yours mine and ours, Mushy, Neighbors, Nerdiness, Opposites Attract, Parody, Party, Partying, Passing Out, Please Don't Hate Me, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship, Sharing, Sharing a Bed, Sharing a Room, Shirtless, Sick Character, Sickfic, Sickness, Sleep, Sleep talking, Sleepiness, Sleepovers, Sleepy Boys, Sleepy Cuddles, Sleepy Kisses, Sneezing, Sweet, Talking, Tender - Freeform, Tenderness, Tired kissing, Walk, Walking, What’s under double D’s hat, Young, Young Love, block party, care and comfort, cochlear, concerned, concerned boy, cook - Freeform, double D’s hat, dream - Freeform, genius, hand holding, heal, i won’t hurt you, neighbor, nerd, respect, share - Freeform, sick, talk, tender kiss, tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:14:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22752352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenAlicorn/pseuds/QueenAlicorn
Summary: At the end of the episode “Is There an Ed in the House”, Edd catches Sarah’s cold. Jimmy rushes Double D home to help him get better. But as it turns out, Jimmy gets a little unexpected help from Edd’s neighbor.
Relationships: Kevedd, Kevin/Eddward
Comments: 4
Kudos: 97





	1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Ed Edd 'n' Eddy or it's characters.

Chapter 1,

"What's with you?" Eddy asked Edd who had just sneezed on him.

"Ooh, I knew it. Curse you, common cold microorganisms! It's all part of the big plan, don't you see? They wait and strike when you're the most vulnerable." Edd managed to say before another sneeze escaped.

"Jeepers! You sound sick, Double D. You shouldn't be outside. You need some T.L.C." Jimmy said when he heard Double D sneezing. And suddenly the tiny individual started to take them both to Edd's house.

"Don't just stand there, do something! Eddy!" Edd shouted at his friend, who obviously couldn't care less about his health.

"Now, Edd you shouldn't be yelling in your condition. You need to save your strength. After all, the worst comes before the dawn." Jimmy said and Edd felt reluctant to have such a young person take care of him; but on the same token, refusing his help might be rude. So Edd sighed and followed the high-voiced child.

The almost funny thing about this, is that Kevin was tuning up his bike in his driveway when the pair had past him. Living right beside Edd, he almost always knew when his neighbor was coming or going. But seeing Jimmy confused Kevin. He silently watched as Jimmy lead Edd to his house and Edd stumbled to get his keys out of his pocket.

"The dork almost looks drunk." Kevin mumbled out loud and stood up as Jimmy and Edd entered the house. Kevin would normally be worried that this was part of some scam. But if it was just Edd, he could normally trust that everything was legit. Kevin ran over and looked in the window.

"Ah-Choo!" Edd sneezed loudly, and Jimmy gasped.

"Goodness, let me grab you a tissue." Jimmy said and Edd pointed weakly at where the box should be. Jimmy ran by the window and grabbed the box. Turning back around he was surprised to see Kevin and he glanced at Edd. Not wanting to abandon Edd, Jimmy held up a finger to Kevin, so that Kevin knew he would be back in a moment. Kevin then walked to the front door, as Jimmy walked Edd up the stairs.

"You know, Jimmy. I am thankful that you are being so kind, but now that I'm home, surely-"

"Hush, save your strength." Jimmy said and Edd groaned softly. But then a thought occurred to him. He almost never gets this much attention from his own family. Maybe it would be nice to receive the care and compassion of another.

Edd didn't feel strong enough to change into his pajamas, so when they got to his room, he just crawled into bed.

"Good, now you just relax. I'll go into the kitchen and see what can turn this sickness around." Jimmy said as he exited the room. Edd wasn't sure why this all felt so foreign to him, but he was also too tired to care.

Jimmy went down the steps, and over to the front door. He swung it open and saw Kevin leaning against the wall.

"Hello Kevin. Is there something that I can help you with?" Jimmy asked and Kevin raised an eyebrow at him.

"What's going on with the dork?" Kevin asked bluntly and Jimmy glanced behind him.

"Double D caught Sarah's cold. So I am going to nurse him back to health." Jimmy said and Kevin blinked.

"You're so much younger then he is, though." Kevin retorted and Jimmy crossed his arms.

"Caregivers come in all sorts of ages." Jimmy said and Kevin rolled his eyes.

"It could just be Nazz's voice in my head, but maybe I should come in and help you." Kevin said and Jimmy smiled.

"Oh, goodie. I bet this will be way more fun then taking care of Sarah with Ed." Jimmy said, grabbing Kevin's wrist and then pulling him into the house.

"Whoa. What's with all of the sticky notes?" Kevin said and Jimmy looked around.

"I don't know, they were already here. Now let's go into the kitchen. Food helps chase the germs away." Jimmy said and Kevin could barely pay attention. These sticky notes were making him feel a bit claustrophobic.

"There are sticky notes in here too." Jimmy said and Kevin found himself entering the kitchen.

"Well, we don't need to know why they are here, I guess." Kevin said and Jimmy was already shoulder-deep in the pantry.

"I mean, look at this one. 'Dear Eddward, please remember to eat a nutritious lunch'? Come on, it's Double D, does that even need to be written down?" Kevin said looking at a note on the wall.

"I can't hear you that well Kevin." Jimmy said and Kevin rolled his eyes.

"It's nothing." Kevin said and Jimmy emerged with a can of split pea soup.

"This should work nicely." Jimmy said and Kevin reached in a drawer and pulled out a can opener.

"Hand it here." Kevin said, now bored.

Only a few minutes later, Jimmy and Kevin had filled up a tray with soft food for the ill Double D. Kevin carried the tray and Jimmy knocked on the door.

"I'm back, sickie." Jimmy said and the two heard coughing. Jimmy opened the door since Kevin couldn't and he saw that Edd had rolled on his side, facing away from them. Jimmy skipped in and over to Double D, while Kevin set down the tray on the desk.

"Oh, you look much worse, Edd. Is there something I can do to make you more comfortable?" Jimmy said and Kevin was surprised at how focused Jimmy was.

"Well, it's almost 3:00, I like to open the window at this time." Edd said and Jimmy giggled as he opened the window.

"Anything else?" Jimmy asked and Edd shook his head.

"Honestly Jimmy, I really don't require this treatment. I'm fine." Edd said and Jimmy waved him off.

"Nonsense, I will stay for as long as your parents are gone." Jimmy said and Kevin sensed something off about Double D.

"Then you may be here for a long time Jimmy." Edd said and Jimmy glanced at Kevin, but Edd must not have seen this.

"What do you mean?" Jimmy said and Edd shrugged.

"Traditionally, I have my house to myself. My parents are not here often. In fact I think both of them are working a night shift tonight." Edd said and Kevin was concerned at the amount of sadness in Edd's voice.

"Well, that shouldn't be. Surely they will rush home when they hear that you are sick. I'll go call them now." Jimmy said and then the young boy ran out of the room. Kevin wasn't sure of what to do. On one hand, he could give Edd his food, but on the other, it could be better if Jimmy did it instead. After all, Kevin scared Edd all the time, so maybe the little tike should do it. Kevin started to leave the room when he heard Edd speak.

"It's sweet that Jimmy thinks he can get a hold of my folks." Double D said and Kevin froze. So far he had done nothing to let Edd know that he was there.

"I mean, he doesn't know how difficult it is to get a hold of them. And even then it is normally just the answering machine they never listen to." Edd said and Kevin rubbed the back of his neck to think of a response.

"Well-"

"I mean why should they get an answering machine if they never listen to the message? Might as well not have the device just so others know that you did not receive it." Edd said in a weak huff. And that's when it finally hit Kevin, that Edd was talking to himself. A habit he probably developed from being alone so frequently.

"At least I'm not alone this time." Edd said softly and a tense silence followed as Edd recounted the times he needed his parents but they were elsewhere. Kevin had never felt this sorry for the dork before. He did know that the parents would often be gone, but he always thought that one of them would be at home.

"It's a bit quiet for 3:00." Edd realized and this sounded odd to Kevin.

"Normally the kids are outside playing. Or at the very least Kevin is working on his bike or playing basketball." Edd said and then he giggled softly.

"Ah, that is more soothing then I could imagine. Who knew that I could miss the sound of my neighbor dribbling a basketball. Though I have never been one for sports, I do like it when Kevin plays." Edd said and for some odd reason, this made Kevin blush.

"Speaking of Kevin, I wonder where he is. Probably spending time with Nazz, maybe at her house, doing whatever it is they do. They do get along well, I must admit." Edd said and Kevin thought about this. Why would Edd be spending all of his time wondering about him?

"I guess they would listen to music together. Maybe Kevin is trying to seduce her, like so many others. I wonder if Kevin would make her a romantic meal. I don't even know if Kevin can cook." Edd said and then he giggled again.

"It would be funny if Kevin didn't know how to cook, and accidentally burned something up in Nazz's kitchen." Edd said and Kevin started to get upset.

"I doubt that Nazz would see that this act would be more special because he didn't know how to cook." Edd said and Kevin turned his head.

"Stepping out of one's comfort zones, to do something nice for someone else, can be pretty romantic. I bet I would feel pretty lucky if Kevin did something like that for me." Edd said and Kevin looked at the tray of food. Technically Jimmy did all of the work on it. He didn't do anything except for carry the thing up the stairs.

"I can barely imagine Kevin cooking something. I bet if I taught him he would be a great student. And it would be fun too. Not like the times I cook with Ed or Eddy. With Kevin, we could actually make something good that won't get spoiled." Edd said and Kevin glanced down the hall. He really shouldn't be listening to Edd, but the dork has no idea he was listening, and he may not get another chance to hear Edd say whatever he felt like saying.

"Eh, who am I kidding? Kevin would never spend time with me. No one else in the cul-de-sac would ever spend time with me because of Eddy's ridiculous scams. The only reason you even pretend Kevin would is because..." Edd paused and Kevin's eyes widened as he was being drawn into the dork's words. And as Edd let out a deep sigh of longing, Kevin felt strange emotions.

"Maybe I should just go to sleep. Even though Jimmy is here to take care of me, the best thing I can do for myself and this blasted cold is to rest." Double D said and Kevin inches out of the room.

There was something about the way Edd sighed that made Kevin's heart quake. For just another sound, he found that it was full of hurt and the death of hope. And Kevin wondered what could cause such a sound. Kevin walked down the stairs and he looked at the notes around him. But his eyes settled on one word, and he stopped completely. He didn't see what the rest of the note said, but this one ended with 'love, mother'.

Surely after everything Kevin had done to Edd and his friends...

There was no way Edd could love him...

Could he?


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Ed, Edd, 'n' Eddy or it's characters.

Chapter 2,

"I don't believe them." Jimmy said emerging from the living room and into the dining room.

"Who?" Kevin asked. After hearing Edd speak, he decided to sit down at the table and think about how Edd acted around him.

"Double D's parents. I was on the phone forever and I couldn't get a hold of anybody. I finally got an answering and I left a message. I think I may leave another message in an hour, if they don't hurry back." Jimmy said and Kevin thought about how Edd talked about his folks.

"Well, maybe if you leave a bunch of messages, they will actually come back." Kevin said and Jimmy sighed.

"Edd needs somebody to nurture him through this. And as much as I want to help, I don't know Edd as well as I know Sarah. I know exactly how to calm her down." Jimmy said and Kevin blinked.

Ah, that is more soothing then I could imagine. Who knew that I could miss the sound of my neighbor dribbling a basketball. Though I have never been one for sports, I do like it when Kevin plays.

Kevin remembered Edd saying and he bit his lip.

Maybe playing a round of basketball would calm the dork down a bit. Though I really don't want Jimmy to know I would be playing for Edd. What can I say to get away with this?

Kevin wondered and he looked at Jimmy and shrugged.

"Well, I don't know how to calm Edd down. But I always enjoyed basketball to calm myself down. I think Double D was falling asleep upstairs, so maybe we can play a round." Kevin said and Jimmy narrowed his eyes.

"How rude, Kevin. Abandoning Edd in his state. What do you have to say about yourself." Jimmy said, crossing his arms and Kevin's gaze dropped into a bored expression.

"I just figured that being out of the house would give Edd the silence he needs to rest. Besides, being right next door, we can still stop his dorky friends from barging in and messing with him." Kevin said logically, and Jimmy twisted his lip as he thought about it.

"Well, perhaps it wouldn't be too bad. We can still check up on Edd every couple of minutes, so that he won't be alone." Jimmy said and Kevin smiled, but mostly out of the fact that it worked.

"Ok, I'll go outside and get the ball." Kevin said as he stood up.

"Alright, then. I should probably go up and check on Edd first. Just to make sure that he has everything he needs. Jimmy said and Kevin paused watching him go up the stairs. There was a possibility that Jimmy would reveal the fact that he was there. Kevin wasn't sure why he didn't want Double D to know he was here.

Could it be that Kevin was worried about his image? Being nice to one of the dorks, even Edd, could tarnish his bad boy rap, he tend to have. Or could this be more personal. Taking care of Edd, in such a tender way, could cause their relationship to change. Not that Kevin would ever admit to caring about Edd's health. Shaking his head, to stop his mind from coming up with more theories, he stopped thinking and walked outside.

"Knock, knock, Double D?" Jimmy said, as he entered the room. He saw the food on the desk was untouched, and he walked over to Edd's side.

"Oh... hello, there... Jimmy." Edd said tiredly, and Jimmy felt Edd's head.

"My, you're burning up. You surely need your rest. I can take this food downstairs, and bring it back when you're ready for it." Jimmy offered and Edd blinked.

"Huh, what food?" Edd said, trying to be more alert.

"I made you some snack stuff and Kevin brought it up for me. Didn't he tell you he put it on your desk?" Jimmy questioned and Edd rolled over and glanced at the tray of food.

"My, word. No he... I didn't even hear him." Edd said and Jimmy looked at the tray too.

"Well, Edd. If you are hungry, I'll leave it so that you can eat it. But if you're not then I can just make you something hot to drink instead." Jimmy offered and Edd was still thrown at the fact that Kevin was in his room.

"No, no, I really shouldn't eat something." Edd said and Jimmy smiled.

"Ok, but then afterwards we can tuck you in so that you can get some much needed rest." Jimmy said and Edd sat up slowly.

"Edd, perhaps I can feed you until you're healthy again." Jimmy said and Edd looked at him.

"Jimmy, I'm not sick enough to have you, you... Ah-Choo...! Feed me." Edd said and Jimmy seemed to disagree, but didn't question it. Then in the silence, a familiar calming sound came from the outside world. Edd smiles blissfully as he recognized the noise and Jimmy stared at him.

"There he is." Edd said softly and Jimmy blinked.

"Kevin?" Jimmy asked and Edd nodded.

"He often does something outside at this time. And so the daily noise he makes is very relaxing for me. Growing children live routines after all." Edd said and Jimmy glanced out the window.

"So listening to Kevin calms you down?" Jimmy asked, as if a lifelong question was being answered.

"Well, it depends on it's content, but generally yes." Edd said, and Jimmy smiled.

"I'm glad that he's helping me out then. If he is the key to keeping you relaxed, then he be in here with you all the time." Jimmy said, skipping out of the room and Edd knew he should panic, but he was also so very weak. How could he argue when what Jimmy says is true. Edd did enjoy Kevin's company, when he wasn't upset. And logically he knew he needed to state that one caregiver was plenty. Though if Edd was honest, especially in his state of being, emotionally he did want Kevin around.

"Pass me the ball Kevin." Jimmy cried out and Double D heard Kevin chuckle. Edd felt a bit woozy, but despite himself, he found his way to his feet and over to the window. There he saw Kevin and Jimmy in Kevin's driveway. Jimmy was dribbling the basketball awkwardly and Kevin had crossed his arms as he watched the young lad. Jimmy threw the ball up into the air, and it didn't even make it close to the hoop.

The ball rolled up to Kevin's feet and he swooped it up. It was at this time that Kevin saw Edd at his window staring at them, and Kevin decided to give Edd something to watch. Kevin spun the ball on his fingers, then across his chest and on the bill of his cap. Edd chuckled as he wondered how Kevin knew the ball would stay, if he wore his hat backwards. And just when it appeared the ball was about to fall, Kevin jerked his head forward, which threw the ball up and into the hoop.

"Wow, Kevin. That was so unique." Jimmy said and Kevin looked up at Edd who was laughing again. Edd's eyes met Kevin's and he applauded for him.

All this laughing was heating up Edd's chest and face. Really hot, actually. Edd stopped clapping and fanned himself softly. He took a step to the side and suddenly became aware of how lightheaded he was. He swayed back and forth, and placed a hand on his head. Then, almost immediately, his vision blurred and his knees gave out.

"EDD!"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Ed, Edd, 'n' Eddy or it's characters.

Chapter 3,

Edd stirred awake when he felt a damp cloth on his face. He heard hushed tones conversing with each other, but couldn't quite make out the full sentences.

"Is... okay?"

"Don't... dork... fine."

"... sure?"

"Sure enough."

The damp cloth returned, patting Edd's neck, and at his forehead again.

"Who...?" Edd said softly, wanting to know where such gentle hands came from.

"Shh." A voice said and Edd didn't question it. His eyelids were so heavy, that even if he managed to open his eyes, he just closed them back up.

"Jimmy, why don't you try calling Edd's parents again. He's getting worse." The voice said and Edd heard tiny feet shuffling off.

"You gave us quite the scare, Mr. Genius." The voice continued to dap Edd. He rubbed the damp rag across Edd's chest, or at least what was already exposed because of his t-shirt.

"S-sorry." Edd muttered and a muted chuckle was heard.

"Eh, I can't get mad at you until you're better." Edd said and to his surprise, he was lifted slightly and he felt the wet cloth on the back of his neck. Edd shuddered with a soft moan and he clenched his hands which grabbed a small handful of his surroundings.

"Hm?" The voice noticed Edd's reaction and Edd was set down again.

"Uh, you... need to rest." The voice said and Edd's bed moved as if someone was getting off of his bed. Though he did not possess the strength to open his eyes, he reached out and grabbed what felt like a hand.

"Wait..." Edd whispered and the hand trembled in Edd's grasp.

"I-l..." Edd started and then he swallowed to clear his throat.

"I don't want to be alone." Edd said and a tense moment passed as the voice considered what to do.

"Fine, I'll stay. But you'll totally owe me one." The voice said and Edd smiled as the speaker sat back down on the bed. Edd felt like he could really relax now. Edd kept a hold of this gentle hand and pulled it close to his chest.

"Um... E-Edd...?" The voice questioned, and Edd nuzzled it softly.

"Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy." Edd robotically spike before snoring loudly. Edd slept soundly and peacefully, for a while. He kept the comforting hand close as his own personal delusion of staying safe. Guarded by the person who gentle nature would protect him from anything.

Eventually, Edd woke, feeling much more stable and alert, but still ill. He opened his eyes and saw the cover of a book titled 'Illnesses and Cures'. Edd tried to remember pulling the book off of the shelf to read, but all he could recall was that hand. Edd looked down and saw that he was still holding the soft hand close to his heart and Edd blushed a little. Normally people don't touch him, and if they do, they are either the Kanker sisters looking for love, or one of his friends trying to manipulate him.

The hand had a green sleeve, and was connected to the book. And though this did make Edd think of the song 'Green Sleeve', he didn't let the tune distract him from discovering who this person was. Edd looked up at the reader and saw a young boy, about his age.

He read the book with concentration, and occasional confusion, but he looked quite humble. He sat in a chair next to Edd's bed and he held the book with one hand as he read. And when he wanted to turn a page he set the book down on his lap, and flipped it before lifting the book back up again. Edd looked at the boy reading, and in his groggy state, he still struggled to find a name for this individual. Edd looked at the boy's hat, so familiar, and yet he couldn't truly grasp a memory with it.

And then Edd looked into the boy's eyes. Deep emeralds trying to understand what sickness has done to his neighbor.

Neighbor?

Edd thought, wondering where this thought came from, but then it hit him.

"Kevin?" Edd asked and Kevin looked up from Edd's book and smiled at him.

"You're up, choice." Kevin said, closing the book.

"How did you sleep?" He asked and Edd thought Kevin wouldn't be so considerate. After all, he did tend to possess the stereotypical temper famous for red heads.

"I, uh, slept fine. Thank you." Edd said and Kevin nodded.

"Well, we still haven't gotten you fed yet, and you're soup should still be warm. You ready to eat?" Kevin asked and Edd glanced over at his desk, to see the food still there.

"Um, seems like a good thing to do next." Edd said and Kevin stood up.

"If you let go of me, I'll grab it for you." Kevin said and Edd blushed again before letting go.

"Alright, Jimmy made this for you earlier. Looks like soup, some crackers, a peanut butter sandwich with the crust cut off, and two cans of ginger ale." Kevin listed off as Edd sat up.

"Well, Jimmy certainly has created a spread. I couldn't possibly eat all of this, even if I wasn't sick." Edd said and Kevin shrugged.

"He said something about keeping your strength up, so I just let him do whatever." Kevin said and Edd took a spoonful of the soup and taste-tested it.

"My, not too hot. Perfect for my condition." Edd looked at Kevin when he tried not to chuckle.

"Well, as I was saying, Kevin. I couldn't possibly eat all of this on my own. Perhaps you would enjoy having the sandwich and one of the sodas." Edd offered and Kevin blinked. He glanced at the door, and then rubbed the back of his neck.

"Um, I didn't have lunch yet, and I suppose as long as Jimmy doesn't see, then I won't have to hear him complain." Kevin said, sitting back down in the chair, and taking a slice of sandwich.

"You hate hearing Jimmy complain?" Edd asked, thinking it funny that someone so tough would be worried about the thoughts of a 'weakling' like Jimmy.

"I hate the sound of his voice on a traditional basis, but when the dude complains, the tone of his voice increases by like, three octaves." Kevin said and Edd blinked. Sometimes Kevin did say something above the level of intelligence of the common Cul-de-sac resident, but it still threw Ed off.

"Well, I can certainly understand your opinion on the subject." Edd said not wanting to admit that Kevin was right about something so crude.

"Heh, you agree with me. I can tell." Kevin said and Edd sipped his soup.

"Oh, hush you. I would never insult Jimmy by stating such a thing." Edd said and Kevin chuckled.

"All that tells me is that you agree with me, but would never say it out loud." Kevin said and Edd scoffed.

"You're so crude." Edd said and Kevin stared at him slyly.

"Oh, Mr. Honesty. Tell me that you enjoy listening to the sound of Jimmy's voice." Kevin challenged and Edd blinked.

"I enjoy listening to the opinions of all my neighbors. Opinions and ideas should be explored with the utmost respect." Edd said, crossing his arms.

"Do you like the sound of Jimmy's voice?" Kevin asked again, knowing that didn't answer his question.

"O-oh, well, one must respect how one sounds. Given the fact that most can not help but live with what we were born with." Edd said and Kevin smiled.

"You're smart, Edd. But we both know that you're avoiding the question. You know how I sound, you know how your friends sound, and you know how Jimmy sounds. Do you like the sound of Jimmy's voice?" Kevin asked again, and Edd leaned into his pillows, stirring his soup with his spoon.

"I do like your voice." Edd admitted and Kevin blinked, not expecting this answer.

"Huh?" Kevin said and Edd glanced at him.

"Well, yes. I do like your voice. It's true that Jimmy is far from puberty, and his voice dropping. Sarah, and Eddy tend to be too loud for my cup of tea. Ed's voice is ok most of the time, but his speech makes him difficult to listen to. So, when I see you and hear you speak, I do tend to enjoy it. Your voice tends to be deeper, even when screaming. Which also means that you aren't yelling as loudly, for the most part. And your speech is better then a few others." Edd explained and Kevin stared at the intelligent boy.

"Whoa, uh, thanks." Kevin said unsure of what to say.

"Sorry, I am probably speaking too much." Edd said, appearing to be a tad embarrassed.

"Oh, no. It's not that. I-I like your voice too." Kevin said and Edd rolled his eyes.

"Please, Kevin, you don't have to resort yourself to bland attempts of flattery." Edd said and Kevin took a bite of the sandwich. So they were silent for about two minutes before Kevin decided to break it.

"Ok, maybe I don't think about your voice, but I do really... respect your mind." Kevin said and Edd looked at him.

"I... think I believe you." Edd said and he smiled at Kevin's blush.

"W-Well you should. You may be crazy enough to follow through on Eddy's schemes, but the way you create... everything is amazing." Kevin said and Edd chuckled.

"Why thank you Kevin." Edd said and Kevin took the second slice of sandwich.

"Eh, don't get use to it, dork. I'm only being nice to you because you're sick, and it's pathetic to push a kid when their down." Kevin said.

"Well, if that's the case, then I will try to enjoy this hospitality of yours, Kevin." Edd said and Kevin rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." Kevin retorted and Edd was almost done with his soup.

"Say, where is Jimmy. Didn't you say that he made this?" Edd asked and Kevin sighed.

"Well, earlier he did leave to call your folks, but then when he didn't get a hold of them, he said something about getting Sarah to call them... I think... I was reading and not paying attention." Kevin said and Edd rose an eyebrow at him.

"While I detest ignoring others, I must say that I was surprised at your choice of reading material." Edd said and Kevin nodded.

"Well, people don't always make sense, but what happens to your body isn't changed by an opinion or someone else. It's completely unbiased. I like that about health, but it's also a reason why I like working on my bike." Kevin said and Edd smiled.

"I actually agree with you, Kevin." Edd said and Kevin scanned his face for any sign he was kidding. There wasn't.

"I would think that you could understand people better then most. Remember when Eddy stole that thing from your psychology book and hypnotized everyone?" Kevin asked and Edd nodded.

"Of course, I still have my notes saved from that event. I found that whole situation led me to understand our friends a bit better. In fact I keep most of my findings saved in my-yyy, ACHOO...! file cabinet..." Edd said, though his sneeze took a lot out of him, he lifted a can of soda, and attempted to open it. After a few seconds, Edd felt a soft hand rest on his, and the pleasurable warmth caused Edd to stop.

"You can barely open this when you're feeling good, Edd." Kevin said, and he dragged his finger across the top of the can and he easily opened the bubbly substance.

"There, at least now you can drink it." Kevin said, trying to sound annoyed, but a small part of him enjoyed feeling needed.

"Thank you Kevin. I do need to keep my fluids up." Edd said, drinking some of the soda. Kevin reached over and beside Edd's bed, Kevin set a bowl of cool water and a rag inside it. He rung the rag as best he could and then he wiped the top of Edd's head with it.

"I think you're temperature has gone down a bit, but you're still sick." Kevin said and Edd smiled.

"Sarah felt better in a few hours. Though I suspect that my illness will stay until the morning. I believe living with Ed has given Sarah a stronger immune system, then I could ever hope to have." Edd said and Kevin shrugged.

"He is a walking Petri dish of grossness." Kevin said, as his way of telling Edd he agreed.

"Exactly, Kevin. You know, I'm sure that you would rather spend your time hanging out with your true friends, or perfecting a hobby of yours. So, since I am a bit better then before, I'm sure that if you wish to leave, then you could go without feeling guilty." Edd said and Kevin blinked at him.

Sure, he would rather ride his bike, and spend time with Nazz, maybe even get that kiss he wants from her. But when Edd was by himself, there is this strange sense of calm, and relaxation Kevin didn't mind. And yeah, Edd was a dork in the nerdiest sense, but in his own way, it's funny and at times attractive. And with Jimmy gone now, Edd only had Kevin to take care of him. Edd needed Kevin, even if Edd would never admit it, he did.

"Nah, are you kidding? Rolf is busy getting his plants ready for harvest, Nazz is doing some spa day, not to mention Johnny is just annoying." Kevin said and Edd didn't stare directly at him, in fear of scaring him away.

"Though what of your parents? Surely they would be worried if they do not see you soon." Edd said, and Kevin nodded.

"My dad wouldn't care, and mom would be glad that I was helping someone out. Plus, I'm right next door, if anything happened or went wrong, they could spring into action." Kevin said, as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Oh, are you just going to spend the night then?" Edd said, thinking this would make Kevin feel nervous. After all, a sudden sleepover without parental approval could strike fear into the hearts of many.

"Why not, dork? I can sleep on that couch of yours downstairs. Seems like you don't want me around." Kevin said and Edd paused.

"I don't enjoy forcing people with the use of pity." Edd said and Kevin rolled his eyes.

"Edd..." Kevin paused to ran the damp rag across the back of Edd's neck, which made Edd shiver with pleasure again.

"I'm gonna stay, okay. So stop feeling guilty, or whatever this is, and just relax. Your sick, and I'm going to make you feel better." Kevin said, and Edd bit his lip listening to the deep way Kevin whispered that. Edd was confused at these more intense emotions he was feeling. Normally being around Kevin did make Edd a bit happier, but this was more of a warm happy. A warmth that made his legs shake, and the direction of his blood flow changed slightly.

"T-then, I-I welcome you Kevin." Edd said, sweating, but not from fever.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy or it's characters.

Chapter 4,

"Oh Kevin. Oh Double D." Jimmy cried as he entered Edd's room.

"What is it Jimmy?" Edd asked.

"Sarah called. She thinks that her fever is returning and she needs me to protect her from that oaf of an older brother." Jimmy said and Edd rose an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, don't pretend he isn't Double D." But I need to go, my Sarah needs me." Jimmy declared before running out of the house.

"Man that chick has got a hold on him." Kevin said and Edd looked at him.

"It is nice to support your friends, and help them when they are in need." Edd said and Kevin rolled his eyes.

"I get it Edd. It's nice to be nice to people." Kevin said and Edd smiled.

"Yes, exactly. Who told you that?" Edd asked and Kevin shruggedz

"I don't actually remember, but I think it sounds like something you would say." Kevin said, and though he was unsure of the origin, it did surprise Edd that Kevin would quote Edd.

"I guess that means that you were truly listening to me." Edd said and Kevin scoffed with a smile.

"Yeah, right, dorko. So with Jimmy gone, what do you want to do?" Kevin asked and Edd hesitated, on one hand, he understood the fact that he needed to stay in bed and rest so that he could get better. But then again, who knows how long it would take before he did get better. And once Edd was well again, Kevin would go back to being the stereotypical jock who bullied him and his friends. Edd didn't want to miss out on all this kindness that Kevin was displaying.

"Well, because of my current state, we probably should avoid excessive exercise." Edd said and Kevin smiled.

"I guessed that dork." Kevin said and Edd blushed.

"I'm sorry." Edd said and Kevin shrugged.

"Don't get mushy dork. Do you got any board games? We could play one of those, or maybe we could put on a movie?" Kevin suggested and Edd thought about that.

"Well, I do have checkers downstairs." Edd recalled and Kevin nodded.

"Do you want me to bring it up? Or do you want to try and walk downstairs?" Kevin asked. Edd wasn't sure if he was well enough to make it down the steps, but he would feel more comfortable spending time with Kevin downstairs.

"I think I would like to try going downstairs. Just to get my blood moving a bit." Edd said and Kevin nodded.

"Do you need my help?" Kevin asked when he saw Edd stand up on his weak legs.

"I might, truth be told." Edd said and Kevin nodded and he went ahead and stood beside Edd and gave him a welcoming smile.

"I know you're not big on tough, but it might be safer if I keep a hold of you. While you walk down. If you lose your balance I could catch you, or if you lose your balance, I could catch you. Or if you get a bit dizzy I could be your rock to lean on." Kevin suggested, and Edd blushed.

"O-oh, A-are you sure?" Edd said, feeling a tingle of heat that had nothing to do with his illness.

"Yeah, you know I could easily throw you over my shoulder. I swear you're as light as a feather." Kevin said and he took Edd's left arm and placed it on his shoulders.

"But I think I'll give you the chance to walk on your own." Kevin said and he took his arm and wrapped it around Edd's waist.

"O-ok." Edd said. The genius found Kevin's touch to be warm and intoxicating. The two walked out of Edd's room and stopped when they got to the stairs.

"Alright, now I don't want to rush you, so let's take this slow; and if you need to stop to rest, then just tell me." Kevin said and Edd took a deep breath. He was having trouble understanding how he was feeling around Kevin. It almost felt like he was talking to Nazz, but she was a pretty girl with an amazing personality. But Kevin wasn't Nazz. Far from it, he was normally... well, mean. And he is still a boy. And yet...

"Proceed, Kevin." Edd managed to say without stuttering. They walked down to the steps slowly and Edd was feeling so safe and protected. And he was starting to feel excited and lightheaded in Kevin's grasp.

"O-ok. I need a minute." Edd said when they were about halfway down the steps. Kevin stopped and looked at him.

"Take a deep breath. It will help you calm down." Kevin informed him and Edd obeyed.

"Hey, maybe it would help to talk?" Kevin suggested though he didn't really know what to talk about.

"Ok, well, when did you start playing football?" Edd asked and Kevin blinked.

"Oh, man, I've been playing football ever since I was little. Dad would sit me down and we would watch the game and he would tell me how the game worked." Kevin said and Edd nodded.

"So you enjoyed football because it's something you and your father do together." Edd said and Kevin nodded.

"Yeah, it's just... well, something I've always done." Kevin said, never really giving it much thought until now.

"Well that's nice." Edd said and Kevin blinked.

"Ok, uh, do you think you're ready to continue?" Kevin asked and Edd went ahead and nodded.

"I think so." Edd said and Kevin started walking again.

"So what about you?" Kevin asked, wanting to keep the conversation going.

"Pardon me?" Edd asked.

"Do you watch football with your dad?" Kevin asked and Edd paused.

"Sometimes. Normally just the Super Bowl though." Edd admitted and Kevin nodded.

"Ok, so if you don't always watch football, then how do you bond with your dad?" Kevin asked and Edd shrugged.

"Well on most days my folks are too busy or tired to spend time with." Edd said sadly be Kevin's face fell.

"Though there are some days they allow me to go to work with them. I must remain quiet so they and their associates can work, but I bring a book or two so that's fine. And at least I get to spend time with them." Edd said with a fake grin on his face. For some reason listening to Edd talk about his parents kinda broke Kevin's heart.

"I guess." Kevin finally answered and they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"You know Kevin, I'm starting to think that maybe we aren't as happy at home as we should be." Edd took the risk to say, and Kevin stared at him. Edd didn't know what Kevin was feeling or what he was about to do.

"Maybe you're right." Kevin said and Edd almost gasped. He thought Kevin would push him into the floor before ever admitting that Edd was right about this.

"Do you want to sit on the couch and talk about it?" Edd asked and Kevin shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe. Do you?" Kevin asked and Edd shrugged weakly.

"Perhaps, I'm not sure." Edd said and Kevin kinda smiled at how similar their answers were.

"Come on, let's just get you on the couch. I can get us both a glass of water and play a game of checkers or two." Kevin said and Edd suddenly got the urge to rest his head against Kevin, but he resisted.

"That sounds very nice." Edd said, secretly hoping that he is more sick then he originally thought.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Ed, Edd, ‘n’ Eddy or it’s characters.

Chapter 5,

After playing countless rounds of checkers, both boys noticed the late hour.

“Man, it’s already dark outside.” Kevin said and Edd nodded.

“Correct.” Edd said. He’s been enjoying the redhead’s presence more then he’d like to admit; but he couldn’t be selfish.

“You’re parents are probably worried about you, Kevin. As far as I know, they don’t even know that you’re over here.” Edd said and Kevin looked away, proving Edd right.

“Perhaps you should go home.” Edd said, and Kevin scoffed.

“I told you to knock that guilt stuff off. I’m staying here, at least for tonight, since you’re parents are working all night.” Kevin said. Edd wasn’t exactly sure what he was feeling now. It almost felt like he wanted to cry at how loved Kevin made him feel.

_Wait, loved?_

“It’s irresponsible to allow your parents to worry about you. If you’re going to stay, then you need to at least tell them what’s going on.” Edd insisted.

Kevin smiled that warm smile of his and Edd realized something; Kevin secretly did care about Edd. Kevin was not the kind of person to hide away his feelings, not usually, anyways. So when he smiled, he generally meant it wholeheartedly. Even then, Edd couldn’t recall a single moment where Kevin smiled this warmly before.

“I’ll give them a call, don’t worry.” Kevin said, standing up and handing Edd the remote.

“Why don’t you find a movie to watch while I look to see what to make for dinner.” Kevin suggested gently and Edd took the plastic device while he watched the bully leave the room.

Was Edd just fooling himself? Did he only think Kevin cared about him, because he wished it were true? Could things between them ever really change for the better? Could they become friends, or even something more? Edd was afraid of how much he wanted Kevin. His warm smiles, his gentle hands, his kind eyes, and his gentle words. To think that the jock willingly cane over to Edd’s house to help heal him.

“Why did he do that?” Edd suddenly wondered aloud.

“Did you find something?” Kevin asked when he heard Edd speaking. Edd turned on the tv and bit his lip.

“There’s am old movie called ‘Yours, Mine, and Ours’. I like it, but I know older movies aren’t everyone’s favorite thing.” Edd said. Kevin pokes his head out of the kitchen and looked at the tv.

“Oh, my mom loves this movie. I’ve never seen it all the way through, but I recognize Lucille Ball anywhere.” Kevin said and Edd smirked.

“Are you in love with Mrs. Ball?” Edd joked and Kevin scoffed.

“I really haven’t seen ‘I Love Lucy’, for the record. But mom like Lucille Ball. She also loves Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, and Angela Lansbury.” Kevin said and Edd couldn’t help but stare at Kevin. With so many of his peers being obsessed over what the latest fad is, it was nice to see someone acknowledge classic actors.

“Would you like to watch the movie?” Edd asked and Kevin shrugged.

“I don’t care, Edd. You’re the one whose sick.” Kevin reminded him and he blushed.

“Do you need any help in the kitchen?” Edd asked.

“There’s lots of food in your pantry, I’m just trying to figure out something for you. Since you already had soup, you probably want something else for dinner.” Kevin said. Technically broth and soups were best when sick, but Edd understood Kevin’s point.

“Well, there should be some oatmeal, uh, maple and brown sugar flavor. We can have that with some bananas and applesauce.” Edd said and with a nod Kevin returned to the kitchen. Since the oatmeal was instant, Edd knew that Kevin would only be gone for a few minutes. Edd was starting to feel stronger, so he got up and grabbed two TV trays from their location beside the entertainment center.

  
“You want some herbal tea, Edd? I saw some in the cupboard.” Kevin asked from the kitchen.

“That sounds lovely Kevin. Thank you.” Edd said as he set up the wooden devices.

“Do you want sugar or milk?” Kevin asked.

“Honey.” Edd called out as he settled back down on the couch. Only a few more minutes passed before Kevin exited the kitchen with two mugs in hand.

“Tv trays?” Kevin asked when he saw them.

“You don’t like them?” Edd asked and Kevin scoffed.

“Ain’t my house.” Kevin said, handing Edd his tea.

“Thank you.” Edd said, breathing in the flavored steam.

“You like any butter or sugar added to your oatmeal?” Kevin asked and Edd shook his head.

“No, no. As is, for me.” Edd said.

“Then it’s done.” Kevin said. He dipped into the kitchen two more times to gather their meal before finally settling beside Edd once more.

“So, do you always watch movies from the 60’s?” Kevin asked and Kevin shrugged.

“Sometimes older movies are easier to watch them modern television. As long as you understand what’s going on, then you can appreciate them.” Edd said.

“There’s some truth to that. Not sure everyone would agree with you though.” Kevin said. Edd nudged Kevin lightly; at least that was the idea. When Edd’s shoulder met Kevin’s shoulder, the brainiac ended up leaning against the jock.

“I’m not sure that there is one thing for ‘everyone’ to agree on.” Edd said. Kevin stared at Edd as the tired boy pressed against him. Edd ate slowly as he watched the movie, but it was clear that Edd enjoyed his meal.

Why was Edd so darn cute when he was like this? Perhaps it’s because he wasn’t around those blundering fools he called friends. Or maybe Edd was adorable because he was too sick to go all technical on him. Or is it possible that Edd was always this addicting, and Kevin never allowed himself to notice before?

_Don’t think about it Kevin. Just don’t think about it._

“You know I can’t even imagine doing what they did.” Kevin said and Edd glanced up at him.

“Which part?” Edd asked sweetly, which drove Kevin crazy.

“She has 8 kids and he has 10, and they ended up having two more together.” Kevin said and Edd blinked.

“Two? I only recall them having one child together.” Edd admitted and Kevin nodded.

“In the movie they end after their first one. Dad told me the movie was based on an actual family. The largest family in the Navy. They got married, blending their 18 kids and eventually had two together to make an even 20.” Kevin said and Edd chuckled.

“Ouch.” He said lazily. They watched the movie together, eating their food and until it was all gone. Kevin collected the dishes and put away the TV trays. Then Kevin found a fluffy blanket and wrapped it around Edd securely.

“You relax, ok. I’ll take care of the dishes so don’t go and overthink- you clean freak.” Kevin said and Edd chuckled.

“There is a set of rubber gloves by the sink.” Edd said and Kevin rolled his eyes.

“Whatever dork.” Kevin said softy before walking away. Edd leaned forward to look at Kevin near the sink. He rolled up his sleeves and froze when he looked slightly to the left. With a deep sigh Kevin picked up the yellow gloves and started cleaning the dishes. Edd smiled at how sweet this was.

Logically Edd should have panicked at the emotions he currently felt for Kevin. Yet his heart swelled at all the care Kevin is displaying. Then Edd’s mood was crushed when he remembered how fleeting this all was. He leaned back and tried to enjoy the movie. After about ten minutes, Kevin exited the kitchen again.

“I called my folks like you wanted.” Kevin said and Edd blinked.

“Did you? I didn’t even hear you.” Edd said.

“What a shame since you like the sound of my voice.” Kevin teases slightly and Edd was too embarrassed to look at him.

“Are they on with you spending the night?” Edd asked.

“Like I said before, my dad doesn’t care and my mom is glad that I’m helping you. Which reminds me, she wanted me to tell you that she hopes you feel better soon.” Kevin said.

“That’s sweet of her.” Edd said and Kevin shrugged. For some reason, Kevin reaches over and wrapped an arm around Edd’s shoulders.

“She can be sweet when she wants to be.” Kevin said as Edd’s eyes bulged from the contact. Then Kevin easily pulled Edd towards him until Edd was pressed against Kevin’s chest. Similar to how they were sitting before.

“Other Times She can be a real She-devil, but I can’t really complain since I’m a pain too.” Kevin said. Edd’s shoulders shook briefly with silent laughter.

“I’m starting to think that you’re not so bad.” Edd said.

“Then you must be sicker then you look.” Kevin said. He raised his hand and ran his fingers across the back of Edd’s neck, making the blue eyed boy shiver with pleasure.

“Yep, still hot.” Kevin whispered and Edd’s face burned from Kevin’s actions. Edd cursed himself for having such sensitive skin. The forehead and the back of the neck were common places to check one’s temperature; but it just felt so nice to be touched there.

Edd turned his head a little to lean closer to Kevin. The beautiful thing about this position was that Edd could now hear Kevin’s strong heart beating. _Thump, thump, thump_ , as rhythmic as Kevin dribbling his basketball. It was so familiar that Edd couldn’t help but relax at the sound. Edd closed his eyes to focus on it more.

“Edd?” Kevin questioned, but Edd didn’t move. Kevin quickly realized that the boy fell asleep.

“Sweet dreams, dork.” Kevin whispered, as he held Edd securely with one arm. Kevin used his free hand to remove his own hat and he tossed it at the light switch.

“Choice.” Kevin said softly when the light turned off. Then he turned back towards the television and got comfortable. All the while wondering how long he was gonna wait before taking the dork to bed.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Ed, Edd, ‘n’ Eddy or it’s characters.

Chapter 6,

A loud sound from the television woke up Kevin. He groaned and rubbed his eyes with his right hand. Kevin lifted his heavy head and noticed a black hat on his chest. Kevin tried to sit up, but he found that difficult with the extra weight on his body. It was then that Kevin remembered where he was and why.

“Oh, Edd.” Kevin said with a yawn. Kevin gasped at the booming sound of a grandfather clock echoing from unknown source.

“One. Two. Three. Four... man, it’s 4 in the morning?” Kevin breathed out. No wonder he was so tired. Kevin yawned again, this time forcing his eyes to water for some reason.

He looked down at the dork on top of him and stared at the sick boy. Somehow, as they slept, Kevin managed to lay down on the couch; Edd had even managed to lay between Kevin’s legs and was hugging Kevin tenderly. If Kevin wasn’t exhausted, he might have been embarrassed at this situation.

But since he was so groggy, Kevin simply stared at the brainiac. He watched the way Edd’s back moved as he breathed, and the way Edd’s eyes moved back and forth as he dreamt and the way Edd’s hat was pushed back to reveal-

“The heck is that?” Kevin whispered as he brushed his fingers across the circular device in Edd’s head.

“Ugh, forget it. I’m too tired to figure that out.” Kevin said, positioning Edd’s hat back to it’s correct location. Kevin took a small breath and gently pushed Edd off of him. This was an easy task for Kevin, since Edd was so light, but the disappointed grumbles Edd made caused Kevin to feel bad.

“You dork.” Kevin said softly as he gazed at the whimpering genius. Kevin gently reached down and caressed the pale boy’s face. Edd quickly relaxed at the jock’s touch; a small contented sigh leaving his lips. Kevin’s breath hitches and his face grew really warm, so he pulled his hand back. He looked around the dark room, allowing his eyes to fall on everything but the dark-haired boy on the couch. Eventually Kevin saw his hat on the floor. With a sigh, Kevin went over to it and scooped it up.

“Oh! Mistake! Big mistake.” Kevin winced at the throbbing pain in his head. He pressed up against the wall, and bit his lip to avoid groaning. He took a few breaths to help himself to relax. After a moment, Kevin felt the pain subsiding and he slid down the wall. He was panting and part of him wondered why he felt such pain to begin with.

“Where the heck did that come from?” Kevin asked. He sat there, in silence, thinking about what has happened today. Mostly because it was the first time he was really forced to slow down and think about it. He has come over to Edd’s house, fed him, cared for him, stayed with him when Edd wanted him to stay. He didn’t really understand it, but seeing Edd sick like that, made Kevin feel weird.

“It was just Nazz’s voice in my head.” Kevin whispered to himself. But was that really true? Was he only interested in helping Edd because it was something Nazz would make him do? Or was it possible that he wanted to help Edd because he simply wanted Edd to be well again?

“It’s way too true to be dealing with psychological behavior and subconscious motivation.” Kevin groaned and he carefully stood up. He wasn’t exactly sure how he was gonna have the strength to carry Edd up the stairs and then walk all the way back to the couch so he could sleep. It didn’t really matter through. Edd was the one who was sick, and he needed to sleep in his own bed.

“Kevin?” Edd whimpered and Kevin walked over to him.

“Hey, do you have a sleeping-... Edd?” Kevin quickly realized that Edd was still asleep.

“Kevin...” Edd said again, his face briefly looking scared. Kevin knee this had to have been a nightmare. And since Edd was saying his name, it made sense that Edd was dreaming about Kevin hurting him in some way.

“I’m not gonna hurt you dork.” Kevin said. He crouched down and gently ran his knuckles up and down Edd’s cheek. The genius seemed to relax at the touch; his whimpering ceased and his expression calmed. It hurt Kevin to think that he was the object of fear in Edd’s mind. It made sense, of course. He’s had little patience for the Eds and what they’ve done. Though Eddy deserved it most of the time, he didn’t think that Edd was really scared of him. Kevin yawned shamelessly and he gently picked Edd up. Though Edd weighed the same as a box of paper clips, Kevin found himself swaying at the added weight.

“We both need sleep.” Kevin said softly and he took a deep to steady his groggy state. He walked up the stairs carefully to ensure that he didn’t drop Edd or fall down the stairs. By the time he got Edd’s room, Kevin’s eyes were sore and vibrating with the desire to sleep.

“When did Edd have time to pull the sheets back on the back?” Kevin questioned. How much of a neat freak do you need to be, to fix the bed while you were sick? For a moment, Kevin stared at the bed. Simply thinking of the best way to tuck Edd in. Finally frustrated at all the thinking on his dead brain, he lifted Edd up into the air by one hand. He used the other hand to pull back the sheets completely. Then with relative ease, Kevin laid Edd down and put the blankets over his body.

“There.” Kevin said annoyed. He plopped down on the chair he used before. Kevin paused for a moment to collect his energy, and he stared at Edd.

“Of course you’re scared of me. How could I ever entertain the idea that you loved me.” Kevin muttered, mostly angry at himself. Of course Edd didn’t love him; but why should he care? He was gonna win over Nazz, and make the whole curl-de-sac jealous. At least that’s what Kevin was telling himself, when he started to fall asleep again.

“Kevin...” He heard a voice cry weakly. The redhead lifted his heavy head and looked at the sick boy. The boy in bed was whimpering and tears were rolling down his face.

“Kevin...” Edd pleases again.

“Kevin?” The redhead asked. He looked over at the door, briefly waiting for this Kevin to show up. Then the boy remembered that was his name. Kevin forced himself to stand up, even though he nearly toppled over.

“I’m here.” Kevin whispered as he gently whipped the tears off of Edd’s face. In desperation, Edd reached out and grabbed Kevin’s hand. Without really thinking about it, Kevin crawled into bed with Edd.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Kevin whispered; hugging Edd and running his hand up and down Edd’s back to calm him down.

“I won’t let anything hurt you.” Kevin said. He wasn’t sure if it was the embrace, or his words, or the petting, but Edd stopped his crying and whimpering.

“Kevin.” Edd mewled out, returning Kevin’s hug and Kevin smiled.

“Heh, I’m not all bad, dork. Here, look...” Kevin said softly before he leaned in and captured Edd’s lips in a sweet kiss. They kissed, only long enough for Edd to push against Kevin, before the jock pulled away. He closed his exhausted eyes.

“Sometimes I can be gentle too.” Kevin said. If his eyes weren’t in such physical pain, Kevin would have seen the blush form on Edd’s face. He would have seen Edd’s eyes open, unsure if what they did really happened. But he heard Edd yawn.

“Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy.” Edd whispered and Kevin scoffed.

“Me too.” Kevin muttered. Almost immediately the boys fell asleep in each other’s arms. Neither of them 100% sure how much was a dream and what was reality. But that was really a problem for the morning.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Ed, Edd ‘n’ Eddy or it’s characters.

Chapter 7,

The vaguest memories of warm lips flashed in Edd’s mind as the songs of morning birds woke him. He could smell the scent of fresh cut grass and dew in the air. It was unusual since normally his room smelled like bleach and disinfectant. But then the boy remembered that Jimmy opened the window yesterday; and it was never closed. Perhaps the fresh air is what caused Edd to rest so peacefully.

Normally Edd bolted up out of bed so that he could make his bed. Though today Edd felt so warm and secure, which made him want to stay in bed all day. He nuzzled his pillow fondly and his nose bumped against something.

“Hmm?” Edd opened his eyes; slowly at first, then they shot opened. It was Kevin. Edd’s breath hitches and he looked down at their bodies. They were hugging each other, and their legs were tangled. Edd blushed at the realization that no space existed between them; from the neck down at least. Edd looked back at Kevin’s face and his plump athletic lips. So much of yesterday seemed unreal. Kevin’s gentle hands dabbling his neck; his sincere smile lightly up Edd’s world; Kevin even made Edd tea without being asked; but did they really kiss? Edd sighed softly and bit his lip.

This really was a yes or no question. If not, then Edd and Kevin went back to their traditional relationship dynamic. However, if they did kiss last night, then what did that mean? On one hand, they were exhausted and the kiss held no emotional merit. Though that does imply that Kevin kissed Edd through protective instinct because Edd’s nightmare was so bad.

_Wait a minute... Kevin kissed him? It wasn’t the other way around, was it? No. Holy cow, Kevin kissed Him._

“Mm.” Kevin grunted. It was only a matter of time before the boy woke up. Deep down, Edd was aware that their kiss was real. What Edd needed was to figure out how he felt about it. He closed his eyes to try and remember the kiss more clearly. He was crying and asking for Kevin. Then Kevin crawled in bed, wrapped his arms around him, and kissed him.

And now that Edd thought about it, he did return Kevin’s kiss. Just for a moment, anyways. Perhaps it’s because they were both exhausted, but Edd thought Kevin’s kiss felt wonderful. In fact it felt like something he wanted experience again.

What would happen if Edd leaned forward and kissed Kevin right now? Would it send shivers up his spine? Would it cause his heart to race? Would he want Kevin to kiss him again and again?

“Mph!” Kevin squeaked out and Edd knew that he was awake. Kevin forgot that he crashed at Edd’s last night. Which means he also forgot that he curled up and slept with Edd. The redhead blushed at how intertwined their bodies were and his hands trembled at how intimate it all felt.

“Ooooh; don’t wake up, don’t wake up, don’t wake up.” Kevin whispered in a panic as he pulled away from Edd and walked out of the room. Kevin rushed down the steps, slightly hyperventilating, and quickly filled a glass with water. How could he just sleep with Edd- he’s a dork! Not only that, but the dude was sick. Kevin started to down the water as he hoped he wouldn’t get sick from kissing Edd.

Water shot out of Kevin’s nose when he remembered the kiss. He coughed loudly and rubbed his nose on his sleeve.

“Kevin?” A voice asked and Kevin tensed at the sound. He removed his shirt and held it up to his face to muffle his sounds of pain. If Edd was still sick, then it could take the boy 20 minutes to trudge down the stairs alone. After a moment, Kevin relaxes and lowered his shirt. He noticed the sound of his breathing was fragile and uneven, like his lungs were broken in some way. But Kevin ignored that sound as he used his shirt to clean up the water he sneezed out.

“Why are you cleaning my kitchen with your shirt?” Edd asked. Much to Kevin’s surprise, Edd was standing in the doorway, looking shockingly healthy.

“That was fast. You must be feeling better.” Kevin said, moving over to the sink and squeezing the water out of his shirt.

“My temperature is 98.9. A tad high, but I feel much better.” Edd said and Kevin nodded.

“Where are your parents, by the way? Shouldn’t they have been home by now?” Kevin asked. With a heavy sigh, Edd reaches into his pocket and pulled out a folded sticky note.

“This was on my bedroom door. ‘Dear Eddward, your father and I got called out on a work emergency. But please plan your sleepovers ahead of time so we can approve them, love mother’.” Edd said and Kevin scoffed.

“They really don’t listen to that machine, dang.” Kevin said and Edd nodded.

“I wish they would unplug it, but they won’t.” Edd said. Kevin shook his shirt and he held it up in the air- about to put it on. But the Edd ripped it out of Kevin’s grasp.

“What cha do that for?” Kevin asked.

“You can’t go around in a wet shirt you wore for the past 20 hours.” Edd said and Kevin scoffed.

“So what, are you gonna wash it or something? Aren’t you wearing the same clothes from yesterday?” Kevin said and Edd hesitated.

“I actually changed before I came down here. I could get sick again if I didn’t do that.” Edd said and Kevin nodded.

“Well, I’m not gonna argue with you.” Kevin said.

“Because you agree with me?” Edd asked and Kevin rolled his eyes.

“Nah, because arguing ain’t worth it.” Kevin said and Edd let out a soft chuckle. A slightly awkward silence followed as they stared at each other. It seemed like they were stuck in the questions they couldn’t bring themselves to ask. They both wanted to discuss the kiss from last night; but how can they discuss it when neither really knew how they felt about it.

“Kevin?” Edd asked, trying to form the words.

“Yeah?” Kevin asked and Edd sighed in defeat.

“When you walk out of this house, are we simply gonna ignore this whole experience?” Edd asked and Kevin’s eyes widened.

“I haven’t really thought about that.” Kevin admitted, moving over to the table and sitting down. Edd followed him and sat beside the jock.

“What’s going through your mind?” Edd asked and Kevin rubbed the back of his neck.

“Edd you’re friends with Eddy and bid Ed. I have a feeling like you always will be.” Kevin said.

“Probably.” Edd said and Kevin nodded.

“Now I know you are a pretty honest person, Edd; except when it comes to Eddy’s scams.” Kevin said with a look of regret and Edd looked away.

“Well-“

“No, don’t deny it, Edd.” Kevin interrupted. You are trying to support your friends and you don’t want to eat them out, I get it.” Kevin said. The redhead waited until Edd looked at him before he continued.

“I understand, but at the same time, I can’t spend time with all three of you like everything is ok.” Kevin said and Edd took a breath.

“I do wish my friends were accepted by the other kids.” Edd said softly and Kevin sighed.

“If things were different-“ Kevin reaches over and grabbed Edd’s hand sweetly.

“I have a feeling like we would become rather close.” Kevin said and Edd looked up at those longing green eyes.

“You think so?” Edd asked and Kevin shrugged.

“Rolf is my best friend, you know that. Sometimes it’s hard to connect with him because we have to constantly explain each other’s cultures. Nazz is pretty choice, but half the time I don’t understand her either. Everyone else, um...” Kevin furrowed his brow as he thought.

“Don’t was make the effort to get to know you?” Edd asked and Kevin shrugged.

“I know I have a short temper, which can be scary. And I know I have a bunch of jawbreakers, so people try to butter me up to get them- heck you and your friends did. I also know that I’m an athletic star, and I have broken more records than any other person in the neighborhood. Sometimes... well, a lot of the time, people will treat me differently.” Kevin said and he gave Edd’s hand a squeeze.

“But you’ve been pretty fair to me, Edd. For the most part you have treated me with the same civility as anyone else. And I respect you for that.” Kevin said with a small smile.

“Th... thank you...?” Edd managed to say. They might be going back to their difficult dynamic, but at least Edd has some hope for friendship in the future.

“I should probably go.” Kevin said, letting go of Edd’s hand and standing up. Edd started to panic.

“Oh, but what about your shirt?” Edd asked, holding up the slightly damp item.

“I have plenty like it at home. Keep it or toss it, I don’t really care.” Kevin said. Edd dropped the shirt on the table, and rush towards Kevin.

“Wait!” Edd said as Kevin reached for the doorknob. The boy turned around, and ended up catching Edd, before the genius could crash into him.

“Whoa, what is it?” Kevin asked, confused and Edd found it hard to think. How could he focus when Kevin has his arms around him, and his own hands were on Kevin’s bare chest?

“I-If we are really gonna ignore this whole experience, t-then I think we should at least be even.” Edd said, hating himself for stuttering.

“I’m not sick.” Kevin said and Edd bit his lip.

“I... I was awake when you kissed me.” Edd said, forcing the words out to prevent more stuttering. Kevin’s eyes widened, but then he looked away, embarrassed.

“You were?” Kevin asked, and Edd nodded.

“A little.” Edd said firmly standing on his own.

“Wait. What do you mean ‘even’?” Kevin asked, though part of him already knew the answer.

“You’re not an idiot.” Edd said, taking a hand off Kevin’s chest and raising it up to his face. Kevin looked up into Edd’s blue eyes and for a moment, he marveled at Edd’s height. Often times he forgot Edd was taller then him, but it was as clear as glass now.

“Are you sure?” Kevin asked. Shouldn’t he be fighting Edd? Shouldn’t he pushed him away? Did he want to kiss Edd again?

“If we’re gonna pretend anyways, then why not?” Edd asked. Even he couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. Perhaps he found some confidence in the knowledge that Kevin already kissed him; but would Kevin consent?

“Fair point, I guess it would make us even.” Kevin said and Edd stared at Kevin. Did he really agree to another kiss? Edd gently brushed a finger across Kevin’s lips; sort of to test the waters before diving in. Kevin shivered at the sensation, but he didn’t object. Edd summoned all the courage he could and pressed his lips against Kevin’s.

For a brief moment, that was enough, the simply sweet contact. But then Kevin leaned into the kiss. Knowing Kevin wanted a deeper kiss was unexpected and it sent desire through Edd’s body. Edd moved his hands to Kevin’s shoulders and slowly pushed Kevin against the door. Kevin tightening his grip around Edd, pulling him closer. If Kevin wasn’t completely focused on their kiss, he would have been mortified at how submissive he was acting.

The two boys pulled apart to breathe and they panted heavily. Edd almost dominated Kevin’s lips again, when the grandfather clock shocked them out of their hazy state.

Kevin let go of Edd, and Edd stepped away. Knowing they already agreed to forget everything, Kevin left without saying goodbye.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Ed, Edd, ‘n’ Eddy or it’s characters.

Chapter 8,

For the longest time, both Kevin and Edd acted as if nothing had ever happened. But after a horrific scam caused the whole cul-de-sac to track down the Eds like murderous scum, things were transformed.

Nazz and Rolf were quick to organize a celebratory block party that evening. Big Ed, Johnny and Plank dove for clams; Jimmy, Eddy and Rolf put together the largest makeshift Yakitori grill to cook the clams they found, along with the meat Rolf scrounged up. Eddy was milking the attention of his audience with made up cooking tips and Emeril Lagasse-esque presence. Nazz and Sarah treated the whole experience as if it were a hibachi performance. Edd has put himself in charge of making the punch, and he went home to mix it together.

After about twenty minutes of waiting, Kevin looked at Edd’s house and wondered what he was doing. Even with someone as technical as Edd, counting out the individual grains of sugar, should it really be taking this long to bring the punch?

“Nazz, hold my drink real fast. I’m gonna go check on Edd.” Kevin said. Nazz grabbed his soda, but shot him a questioning look.

“Check on Edd? He just left to go make punch- why check on him?” Nazz asked. At first Kevin couldn’t believe that Nazz didn’t notice how long Edd had been gone, but that just means that she’s been having too much fun to notice.

“Just whatever, Nazz. He might need help carrying it and Rolf is busy.” Kevin said, simply voicing the first excuse that popped into his mind. Nazz giggled at Kevin.

“You’re probably right, Kev. I’ll do my best to protect your soda; but don’t blame me if Rolf or Johnny knock it over or something.” Nazz said and she turned back towards the three yakitori chefs. Kevin walked over to Edd’s house and peered through the window. The front room was dark and he couldn’t really see the kitchen from this angle.

For a moment, Kevin waited for any hint of movement from Edd, just to see if he was alright. But the house remained still as the cul-de-sac roared with life. Kevin went ahead and knocked on the front door. He gazed out at the party, and as the light warmed with the setting sun, Kevin’s mind started to wander.

Normally he was in the group, not an individual looking in. Maybe this is how the Eds would see them? It must be lonely to always stand on the sidelines and watch a bunch of kids having fun.

“Where is that dork?” Kevin said, starting to feel bad. Since Edd was usually so prompt with answering the door, Kevin grabbed the knob and opened the wooden entranceway.

“Edd.” Kevin called out; expecting Edd to rush to him, ranting about proper etiquettes. Instead Kevin remained alone and now he was really worried about Edd.

“Edd?” Kevin asked, letting himself into the building to search for the boy. The front room was empty, and when he glanced in the kitchen, he only saw a punch bowl full of water. Kevin was standing by the stairs when he heard a small sound. It had to be Edd, because Kevin knew Edd’s parents were never home long enough to discover if Edd was sick or healthy; even when others attempted to contact them. In this regard, Kevin did feel bad for Edd. Kevin may not have the greatest relationship with his folk, but Edd’s parents were so oblivious it’s as if they didn’t care about Edd.

Kevin walked up to Edd’s bedroom and he was about to knock when he figured out what this noise was. No doubt about it, Edd was crying. The jock hesitated on the decision to knock or to simply open the door, but the answer was obvious. If Kevin knocked, though it was more polite, it does give Edd the opportunity to swiftly hide any evidence of his emotions. Kevin took a deep breath to calm himself before he pushed the door opened and saw Edd sitting on the floor against the foot of his bed. Kevin’s been told by family and friends that he sucked at comforting others, so Kevin didn’t speak when he went over to the sad boy.

“Goodness! Kevin?” Edd said in shock when he looked up and saw the redhead.

“Y-you really should knock, Kev-“ Edd froze in place when Kevin knelt down and embraced him. And though he was surprised by the hug, Edd allowed Kevin to hold him.

“Everybody is having fun outside, Edd.” Kevin commented. Edd nodded and he hugged Kevin back.

“I’m glad that they are.” Edd said, and a small sniffle followed his words.

“Talk to me, Edd.” Kevin said and Edd sighed.

“It’s ridiculous really. I remember bringing the measuring cup up to my room for a project I was working on. I couldn’t believe I was making punch for a party where we were the guests of honor. Especially since the previous time I was in my room, I was sitting at my desk trying to write my parents a letter to explain why they would never see me again. Then we had to escape all of you, locate Eddy’s brother, survive each other, and fully aware of the fact that none of this would have happened if I had simply said ‘no’ to Eddy; it was hard. So when I looked out the window and saw Eddy, Ed and the others complimenting each other so well, I guess the whole experience cane crashing down on me.” Edd said. Kevin pulled out of the hug to get more comfortable. He sat beside Edd and decided to reach over and hold Edd’s hand.

“It is amazing, isn’t it? First we want to kill you, then we want to save you, and now we’re having a party. Plus it’s almost strange how well your friends meshed with mine.” Kevin said. Edd started to relax at Kevin’s touch and calm voice.

“You know I was highly impressed with the way you stood up to Eddy’s older brother. I know you’ve been scared of him for a long time.” Edd said and Kevin chuckled softly.

“He still scares me, Edd. I almost didn’t have the nerve to speak out like that. I mean, heck, the only reason I found the courage was because of you.” Kevin said. Both boys tensed at these words; since Edd wasn’t expecting to hear them, and Kevin didn’t mean to say them.

“Me?” Edd asked simply and Kevin sighed heavily.

“Might as well be honest. I wanted to back down, but then I looked past my childhood tormentor. I saw the way he pummeled you into the ground, and I got so angry that I forgot to be scared.” Kevin said, but Edd still couldn’t believe his words.

“That’s hard to imagine when you tracked us down like prisoners that escaped death row.” Edd admitted and Kevin shrugged.

“I know, but it’s the truth. There was something about seeing you there that bothered me. I acted out of instinct like that day you were sick.” Kevin said.

“The day you and Jimmy took care of me? I don’t recall you acting out of instinct, like today.” Edd said.

“Do you remember watching Jimmy and I, playing basketball, from your window?” Kevin asked. Edd but his lip and looked up as he thought.

“A little. I remember you tossing the ball from your hat to make a shot, but then it’s kinda fuzzy.” Edd said and Kevin smiled.

“That’s because you passed out. I saw you at the window when you fainted, something took over and my body moved before I could think. I ran to you.” Kevin said and Edd’s eyes widened.

“You did?” Edd asked and Kevin shrugged.

“Yeah, but I’m not sure why. I picked you up and told Jimmy to get a cloth and a bowl of water. Jimmy asked me if you were gonna be ok. I told him not to worry because you were fine.” Kevin said and Edd looked away to hide the blush forming on his face.

“You know we never really talk about that day, but I was really grateful to have you there.” Edd said, leaning his head on Kevin’s shoulder.

“Thanks.” Kevin said softly and for a moment, they sat in silence. Though the room was quiet, they could hear their friends laughing and having fun.

“Kevin? Since we already brought up that day, can I ask you something?” Edd asked.

“I guess.” Kevin said, though he felt uneasy.

“Do you ever remember that day and think about the way we kissed?” Edd said, chewing his lip nervously. Kevin wasn’t really prepared to answer such a question so he hesitated. He didn’t know what to say, but tried to simply roll with it.

“Sometimes I do think about us kissing; it was different.” Kevin said.

“Is different good or bad?” Edd asked.

“I don’t know, it was just different.” Kevin said and Edd softly groaned at the disappointing answer. Kevin didn’t want Edd to be upset, so he decided to expand on that.

“My knowledge of kissing is pretty limited, Edd. I’ve tried to kiss Nazz before, but she is more interested in food then dating. And technically the Kanker Sisters have wanted to kiss me, but normally I’m too fast for them.” Kevin said.

“Lucky you. Marie will hunt me down like a savage bloodhound. She’s terrifying.” Edd said and Kevin smiled.

“Well, you can rest well tonight. Lee, Marie, and May are out torturing Eddy’s older bro.” Kevin said and Edd chuckled.

“You’re right.” Edd said and Kevin thought he was so adorable.

“Do you think about us kissing?” Kevin asked and Edd froze in place.

“I think about that a lot.” Edd whispered. Kevin replayed the words in his brain, making sure that he heard Edd correctly.

“You do?” Kevin asked and Edd nodded.

“We kissed twice, Kevin. The first one, you kissed me in such a tender way that helped me relax from my nightmare.” Edd started and Kevin sighed.

“Yeah, the nightmare of me beating you up.” Kevin commented and Edd pulled away from Kevin.

“What? That wasn’t the dream I had.” Edd said and Kevin rolled his eyes.

“Oh, please. You’re just trying to make me feel better, Edd. There’s no way you remember the dream you had back then.” Kevin said.

“I don’t have to remember, I have a dream journal.” Edd said, and he stood up and picked up a book from his side table.

“However, I do remember my dream from that day. I dreamt that one of Eddy’s scams made you sick. I tried to heal you, but no matter what I did, you just got worse.” Edd said. He flipped the book to the correct section and handed it to Kevin. Kevin started to read the dream Edd pointed out. First thing Kevin noticed was that Edd marked each dream with a date and time, which was kinda cute. Then as Kevin was reading, he noticed some of the entree had inconsistent water damage. Did Edd cry when he wrote this out?

“Looks like you ran away when it was time to pull the plug.” Kevin said, unsure of what to feel.

“I was too heartbroken.” Edd said sadly.

“I can see that. Then all of a sudden I run out of the hospital and hugged you. The dream ended there I guess.” Kevin said, handing the book back to Edd, who put it back in it’s place.

“If memory serves, that’s when I woke up into our kiss. Edd said and Kevin scoffed.

“Talk about a kiss of life.” Kevin said and Edd rolled his eyes.

“The point is, my knowledge of kissing is pretty limited as well. Normally it’s so rough and painful that I’m haunted by the experience.” Edd said. He walked over to Kevin and he held a hand out to the boy. Kevin accepted Edd’s hand and Edd pulled the jock to his feet.

“But we kissed twice Kevin. First you kissed me, and I experienced something more tender then anything I ever hoped to feel.” Edd said. Given how busy Edd’s parents were, it was obvious that Edd was telling the truth.

“As for the second kiss...” Edd said, taking a step closer to Kevin, which made the redhead’s heart race.

“I felt a surge of control I’ve never known. So often I am ignoring or unheard, and I feel invisible at times. Yet, when I kissed you, I instinctively became dominant.” Edd said and Kevin’s eyes widened. His entire focus was on Edd’s words and the memory of their kiss so long ago. He didn’t even notice when they had moved until Kevin felt the side of Edd’s bed against the back of his legs.

“Even now, when I recall that kiss, I feel dominance entering my blood stream.” Edd said, his voice becoming more husky. Kevin trembled under Edd’s gaze. In this moment, Kevin wasn’t sure if his breathing was stable, or if he was panting, or it he was breathing at all. The only thing he knew was how badly he wanted Edd to kiss him.

“And when I remember how submissive you were and the way you longed for my lips, well... it makes me feel things too adult to say out loud.” Edd whispered. Kevin could feel Edd’s hot breath on his lips, and he swallowed a whimper. It was taking all of his strength to remain calm, but he was nearly at his limit. This behavior was so unlike the Edd he’s come to know, which is partly why it was so exciting.

“What do you think?” Edd breathed out.

“I...” Kevin squeaked out. His mind wasn’t working the way he wanted it to. Kevin’s body and thoughts were screaming ‘kiss me’. It wasn’t until Edd put his hands on Kevin’s hip, that the boy gave up.

“Aw, crud!” Kevin said in a high pitched tone before desperately leaning into Edd’s lips. Kevin’s heart burst at the relief, but now his mind started to catch up. His face heated up and he pulled away.

“I-I’m sor-“ Kevin tried to apologize, but his words were cut off by Edd. With a pent up grown, then genius grabbed Kevin’s face with one hand and kissed him roughly. Kevin wrapped his arms around Edd, who squeezed Kevin’s hip with the hand that was still there. The slight pain Kevin felt caused an unexpected moan to leave his lips. Edd took advantage of this opportunity and slipped his tongue into Kevin’s mouth. Their tongues danced together for what seemed like hours, before they needed to breath. When they pulled apart, Kevin’s legs were weak, so Edd allowed the boy to sit on his bed.

“That certainly feels different.” Kevin panted with a smile and Edd chuckled softly.

“I agree. I think I like different.” Edd said, sitting beside Kevin who chuckled nervously.

“I... I think I like different too.” Kevin said, shyly and he bit his lip.

“Kevin...?” Edd said, now hesitant.

“What?” Kevin asked and Edd took a deep breath.

“While I still have the courage to ask, what are your thoughts on... well... dating?” Edd asked and Kevin blushed madly.

“You mean, would I ever date you.” Kevin said and Edd sighed.

“I know that we’ve had a rough relationship, and we don’t always agree on everything. But once you did say that if things were different, we would be rather close. Well things are different now, so maybe we can see how close we would be.” Edd said and Kevin took a deep breath and thought about it.

“Maybe we could go on a date sometime. You know, just to be fair about all this.” Kevin said, looking away, but Edd couldn’t help but beam.

“I’d like that very much. Perhaps you could come over tomorrow for a candlelit lunch. Or maybe we could watch a movie. If you liked the movie ‘Yours, Mine, and Ours’ then you might like ‘An Affair to Remember’ or ‘The Unsinkable Molly Brown’ or even ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’.” Edd said and Kevin couldn’t help but think his enthusiasm was adorable.

“Before we decided what to do, there is something I’d like to ask you first.” Kevin said. Edd took a deep breath to calm himself and nodded.

“Go ahead.” Edd said, failing to suppress the glee within him. Kevin shifted uncomfortably.

“Um, the day I took care of you, we fell asleep on the couch, remember?” Kevin started.

“Vaguely.” Edd said.

“Well, before I carried you upstairs, your hat was pushed back and I saw this metal circle thing.” Kevin said and the color drained in Edd’s face.

“Now I had the feeling that’s the reason you never remove your hat, so I never told anyone about it. I know it must be a sensitive subject, so I won’t force you to tell me... but I have to ask, at least once... will you tell me what that metal circle is?” Kevin asked. He expected an immediate denial and he kept his gaze away from Edd when he said that last sentence. But he could feel the way Edd was trembling. Perhaps Kevin crosses a line. Maybe he should have waited to bring this up. Perhaps he was never suppose to ask. With each passing second, Kevin felt increasingly guilty. He reached over and gently squeezed Edd’s hand.

“I’m sorry.” Kevin whispered sadly and he stood up. Edd jumped at his sudden act and he stared at the jock.

“It’s too soon, and it’s none of my business, anyways. Let’s go back to the party.” Kevin said and he started to let go of Edd’s hand.

“Wait.” Edd said, tightening his grip and Kevin turned towards him.

“It’s ok, Edd. I’m not gonna force you to tell my anything you aren’t comfortable with.” Kevin said and Edd hesitated. But he tugged at Kevin’s hand and the redhead sat back down.

“You really haven’t told anyone about it?” Edd asked cautiously and Kevin blinked at him.

“Of course, Edd. That’s your secret to tell, not mine.” Kevin said. Edd stared into Kevin’s emerald eyes and sighed heavily. He reached up and slowly removed his hat; Kevin wasn’t expecting Edd to do this, so for a moment he couldn’t help but be stunned.

“This is called a cochlear implant.” Edd whispered and Kevin tried not to stare at the device.

“Well... what does it do?” Kevin asked and Edd sighed.

“I was actually born deaf, and this device was surgically drilled into my head when I was 11 months old. It helps me hear.” Edd said and Kevin’s eyes widened. This time he stared into Edd’s eyes.

“Do your friends know?” Kevin asked and Edd bit his lip.

“They’ve seen me without my hat, but we haven’t really talked about why I have it.” Edd said and Kevin thought about this.

“I don’t think there is anything wrong with it, Edd. Who cares if you have a cochlear implant?” Kevin said and Edd looked away.

“Before I moved to the cul-de-sac, I was teased for having it. One time in the gym we were playing dodgeball and a bunch of kids attacked me.” Edd said and Kevin scoffed in disgust.

“That ain’t right.” Kevin said and Edd shrugged.

“No it wasn’t, but I can’t really change it now. But being attacked wasn’t the worst part.” Edd said and Kevin bit his lip.

“What happened?” Kevin asked and Edd hugged himself.

“My cochlear implant was damaged. I was rushed to the hospital so they could remove all the bits of metal. I woke up in the hospital and corn the first time in my life I truly understood the meaning of the word ‘silence’. It was frightening to discover that I could no longer understand my parents. I knew how to read, thank goodness, so a nurse gave us sticky notes for my parents to talk to me with.” Edd said and Kevin’s eyes widen.

“And that’s why they put sticky notes all over your kitchen?” Kevin asked and Edd shrugged.

“They started doing that so I could understand them. But they keep doing it just in case my implant gets destroyed again.” Edd said and Kevin scoffed in disbelief.

“Man, who could have guessed? I mean they never know when your sick because they work so much.” Kevin said and Edd looked away.

“C.I.’s are highly expensive. That’s why most parents file for disability in order to obtain one. But the second one put my parents into debt. One they still haven’t worked off.” Edd said and Kevin sighed.

“You know, I actually have a cousin who is hard of hearing. She is a pain in the butt, like I am, but there is nothing wrong with her... or you.” Kevin said and Edd turned to him.

“You don’t think it’s grotesque or weird?” Edd asked and Kevin smiled lovingly.

“I think you are weird, because you’re a brilliant dork that I lov-“ Kevin put a hand over his mouth, but Edd knew what he was saying.

“You love me?” Edd breathed out and Kevin blushed.

“Crud... maybe.” Kevin said, embarrassed.

“Then maybe I love you too.” Edd whispered. They looked at each other and then they shared a sweet kiss. The first of many to come.

“Ok, ok, we have a party to attend.” Kevin said and Edd giggled.

“Help me with the punch?” Edd asked and Kevin nodded.

“I’ll punch whatever you want.” Kevin said and they both laughed. Kevin wrapped an arm around Edd’s waist and they walked down the steps together.

“So what are we suppose to tell the others about us?” Edd said. Kevin gave Edd his hat and Edd put it back on.

“I say we go out there and just have fun. Our relationship is our business, not theirs.” Kevin said and Edd leaned down and rubbed his nose against Kevin’s.

“Since when are you the dominant one?” Edd asked. In response, Kevin leaned in and gently but Edd’s neck. The genius moaned unexpectedly and then he covered his mouth.

“Why would you do that?!?” Edd asked, embarrassed at himself.

“It’s easy for me to overpower you, Edd; don’t forget that.” Kevin said. Edd scoffed and he grabbed Kevin’s face.

“I’m a fast learner.” Edd said, kissing him.

In truth, it didn’t really matter who overpowered who, because they both won. It was unclear what was in the boys’ future, but for now they had each other and that was enough.


End file.
